Complete Plays of John Galsworthy eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,284 pages of information about Complete Plays of John Galsworthy.

Complete Plays of John Galsworthy eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,284 pages of information about Complete Plays of John Galsworthy.

Mrs. Gwyn.  I feel as if I were being smothered here.

Lever.  It ’s only for one day.

Mrs. Gwyn. [With sudden tenderness.] It’s not your fault, dear.  I ought to have known how it would be.  Well, let’s go in!

[She sets her lips, and walks towards the house with lever following.  But no sooner has she disappeared than joy comes running after; she stops, as though throwing down a challenge.  Her cheeks and ears are burning.]

Joy.  Mother!

     [After a moment Mrs. Gwyn reappears in the opening of the wall.]

Mrs. Gwyn.  Oh! here you are!

Joy. [Breathlessly.] Yes.

Mrs. Gwyn. [Uncertainly.] Where—­have you been?  You look dreadfully hot; have you been running?

Joy.  Yes——­no.

Mrs. Gwyn. [Looking at her fixedly.] What’s the matter—­you ’re trembling! [Softly.] Are n’t you well, dear?

Joy.  Yes—­I don’t know.

Mrs. Gwyn.  What is it, darling?

Joy. [Suddenly clinging to her.] Oh!  Mother!

Mrs. Gwyn.  I don’t understand.

Joy. [Breathlessly.] Oh, Mother, let me go back home with you now at once——­ Mrs. Gwyn. [Her face hardening.] Why?  What on earth——­

Joy.  I can’t stay here.

Mrs. Gwyn.  But why?

Joy.  I want to be with you—­Oh!  Mother, don’t you love me?

Mrs. Gwyn. [With a faint smile.] Of course I love you, Joy.

Joy.  Ah! but you love him more.

Mrs. Gwyn.  Love him—­whom?

Joy.  Oh!  Mother, I did n’t—­[She tries to take her Mother’s hand, but fails.] Oh! don’t.

Mrs. Gwyn.  You’d better explain what you mean, I think.

Joy.  I want to get you to—­he—­he ’s—­he ’snot——!

Mrs. Gwyn. [Frigidly.] Really, Joy!

Joy. [Passionately.] I’ll fight against him, and I know there’s something wrong about——­

     [She stops.]

Mrs. Gwyn.  About what?

Joy.  Let’s tell Uncle Tom, Mother, and go away.

Mrs. Gwyn.  Tell Uncle—­Tom—­what?

Joy. [Looking down and almost whispering.] About—­about—­the mine.

Mrs. Gwyn.  What about the mine?  What do you mean? [Fiercely.]
Have you been spying on me?

Joy. [Shrinking.] No! oh, no!

Mrs. Gwyn.  Where were you?

Joy. [Just above her breath.] I—­I heard something.

Mrs. Gwyn. [Bitterly.] But you were not spying?

Joy.  I was n’t—­I wasn’t!  I didn’t want—­to hear.  I only heard a little.  I couldn’t help listening, Mother.

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Complete Plays of John Galsworthy from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.